IN early June of 1955 the Swindon Advertiser ran a supplement called Modern Homes and Building.

Its subject was the ongoing post-war expansion of Swindon, and by the standards of the era the images were a glimpse into the future.

Decrepit and unsanitary housing in London and other cities was being cleared, and many of their residents were moving to either freshly built New Towns or freshly-built additions to existing ones.

Our supplement was partly written by Borough Architect JL Morgan and Egerton Eckersley, the splendidly-named Borough Treasurer.

It was lavishly illustrated with photos and artists’ impressions.

These included drawings of a forthcoming development of shops and maisonettes in Penhill Drive. The location has been extensively updated in the intervening 61 years but is still recognisable.

The same can be said for the library in Penhill Drive.

Other images included photographs of new houses matching down the sloping Downton Road and a nine-storey block of flats which was planned for somewhere in Swindon but doesn’t seem to have been built – at least not in the way it was drawn.

Mr Eckersley and Mr Morgan wrote: “Swindon’s expansion, under the Town Development Act, is a challenging and exciting phase in the town’s history.

“To the industrialist it will be a business development, to some it will appear to be a feat of engineering, or of planning, or of building.

“To the families leaving London behind it will be an adventure “It will essentially be a social adventure, the success of which will be measured by the reaction of each family to problems of everyday life – the journey to school or work, the convenience and comfort of their homes, the kind of environment in which they live and the things of interest in the neighbourhood.”

The two turned their attention to Walcot, saying the “park-like” site would influence the building project.

“Variety and interest should be the key notes of modern residential estates. The dwellings should be arranged in compact groups with a conscious effort to obtain a pleasant and restful environment. “The setting for development at Walcot will assist in obtaining this restfulness.

“The character of the area will therefore be derived from natural features and bold groups of buildings.”